# Vivienne Martin (actress)

Vivienne Ann Martin (28 December 1930 – 22 January 2023) was a New Zealand-born character actress. She had a career in British television, radio, stage and film which spanned over 40 years. She was best known for her portrayal of Mrs Lillian Rudd in the radio sitcom King Street Junior, of which she starred for the entire series from 1985 to 1998. She also starred in the radio sitcom It Sticks Out Half a Mile as Miss Perkins, and in eleven episodes of The Dick Emery Show from 1974 to 1980. From 1994 to 1995, she appeared in three episodes of the sitcom As Time Goes By, in which she played secretary Gwen Flack.

## Early life and career

Martin was born in Kaitaia, New Zealand on 28 December 1930. In the early 1950s, after receiving a bursary from the New Zealand Government, Martin moved to England in order to take up acting. In 1967, after starring in a number of unsuccessful musical comedy stage productions, Martin decided to focus her acting career on television roles.
Martin's first on-screen appearance was in the 1954 film The Belles of St Trinian's, in which she played Arabella. She landed her first television role in 1957 with The Benny Hill Show, but her first regular role was in the 1958 television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in which she played Lydia Bennet.
Martin appeared in many sitcoms throughout her career. Her first regular sitcom role was in the 1961 musical sitcom Moody In..., followed by the 1971 six-episode television series Keep It in the Family. She appeared in the second series of the ITV sitcom Up the Workers in 1976, and had a starring role as Miss Perkins in It Sticks Out Half a Mile, the radio sequel to Dad's Army. She again played the same character, now called Miss Baxter, in the television adaptations of the series: Walking the Planks in 1985 and High & Dry in 1987.
Martin was best known in her role as Mrs Rudd in the radio sitcom King Street Junior. She appeared throughout the sitcom's entire run, from 1985 to 1998.
From 1994 to 1995, Martin appeared in three episodes of the British television sitcom As Time Goes By, in which she played secretary Gwen Flack.

## Personal life and death

In June 1976, Martin married British actor John Burgess; she was his third wife. Their marriage lasted just six weeks.
Martin died on 22 January 2023, at the age of 92. Her death was announced by the performing arts trade union Equity in their Spring/Summer 2023 magazine.

## Filmography
### Film and television

Sources: :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1954 | The Belles of St Trinian's | Arabella | Film, first on-screen role |
| 1954 | Aunt Clara | Maid | Film, uncredited |
| 1954 | Carrington V.C. | Private Smith | Film, uncredited |
| 1955 | As Long as They're Happy | Kay | Film |
| 1955 | The Water Gypsies | Daisy Fig | Television film |
| 1955 | Secret Venture | Lola | Film |
| 1957 | Town on Trial | | Film, uncredited |
| 1957–60 | The Benny Hill Show | Various | ATV series |
| 1958 | Hancock's Half Hour | Elizabeth | Episode: "Matrimony, Almost" |
| 1958 | Pride and Prejudice | Lydia Bennet | Five episodes |
| 1958 | Rush Hour | | Episode: "Murder He Says" |
| 1960 | Two-Way Stretch | Fred's Wife | Film |
| 1960 | Bootsie and Snudge | Enid | Episode: "The Blind Date" |
| 1960 | BBC Sunday-Night Play | Fanny Marryot | Episode: "Tuppence in the Gods" |
| 1961 | The Benny Hill Show | Various | BBC series, Series 4 |
| 1961 | Moody In... | Various | Musical sitcom |
| 1961 | Armchair Theatre | Robbie | Episode: "Tune on the Old Tax Fiddle" |
| 1962 | A Pair of Briefs | Hotel Maid | Film, uncredited |
| 1963 | Armchair Theatre | Daphne Perkins | Episode: "Little Doris" |
| 1965 | Public Eye | Eileen Osborne | Episode: "And a Very Fine Fiddle Has He" |
| 1965 | Undermind | Dorothy | Episode: "The New Dimension" |
| 1967 | Thirty-Minute Theatre | Frankie One | Episode: "Boa Constrictor" |
| 1967 | Before the Fringe | Various | Four episodes |
| 1968 | The Dickie Henderson Show | Mrs Ashburton | Episode: "The Amateur Professional" |
| 1969 | Playhouse | Judy Jenkins | Episode: "The Beauty Operators" |
| 1970 | Bachelor Father | Mrs Moore | Episode: "A Spot of Natural Expression" |
| 1971 | Keep It in the Family | Yvonne Bannister | |
| 1971 | Please Sir! | Miss Petting | Eight episodes |
| 1972 | Dead of Night | Jessie | Episode: "Two in the Morning" |
| 1974 | Z-Cars | Georgia Jones | Episode: "Certain Parties" |
| 1974–80 | The Dick Emery Show | Various | Eleven episodes |
| 1976 | Up the Workers | Mavis | Series 2 |
| 1979 | Rings on Their Fingers | Girl in Restaurant | Episode: "Anniversary Jig" |
| 1980 | Angels | Audrey Mears | Two episodes |
| 1980–81 | The Good Companions | Elsie Longstaff | Miniseries, nine episodes |
| 1982 | Legacy of Murder | Mrs Harper | Episode: "Holy Smoke" |
| 1982 | The Further Adventures of Lucky Jim | Lollipop Lady | Episode: "The Ties That Bing" |
| 1983 | Spyship | Mrs Franklin | Miniseries, three episodes |
| 1985 | Walking the Planks | Miss Baxter | |
| 1986 | Ever Decreasing Circles | Diana Danby | Episode: "House to Let" |
| 1987 | High & Dry | Miss Baxter | |
| 1987 | Divided We Stand | Edna | Five episodes |
| 1992 | Garbo | Bin Lady with Budgie | Film |
| 1993 | The Bill | Mrs Fuller | Episode: "Return to Sender" |
| 1993 | Paul Merton: The Series | | Series 2, Episode 2 |
| 1994–95 | As Time Goes By | Gwen Flack | Three episodes |
| 1996 | EastEnders | Aunt Betty | One episode |

### Radio

Source: :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | Sam and Janet | Janet Marshall | |
| 1983–84 | It Sticks Out Half a Mile | Miss Perkins | |
| 1985–98 | King Street Junior | Mrs Lillian Rudd | |
| 2000 | King Street Junior Revisited | Mrs Lillian Rudd | Episode: "Centenary" |

### Theatre

Source: :
| Year | Title | Theatre | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | Oliver! | West End, London | Nancy | |
| 1966 | The Matchgirls | Globe Theatre, London | Kate | Lead role |
| 1966 | The Great Grimaldi | Palace Theatre, Manchester | | |
| 1967 | The Ballad of Queenie Swann | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford | Queenie Swann | Lead role |
| 1984 | Little Me | Prince of Wales Theatre, London | Mrs. Eggleston | |